Viking Range Corporation - More Than Just a High-End Grill Manufacturer
Some of the most innovative inventions stem from someone searching for a product that hasn't been created yet. That's what happened to Fred Carl Jr., the founder of Viking Range Corporation, when he was looking to renovate his home more than twenty years ago. As a fourth generation contractor, he was familiar with the positive and negative attributes of commercial ranges, and noticed them appearing in residential homes. Realizing there wasn't a residential appliance out there that met both the rigors of high-heat restaurant-style cooking yet still conformed to strict building codes, he decided to develop his own hybrid range. After several years of research and development, by January of 1987 Fred Carl Jr. was distributing the first commercial-style residential range.
Today, Viking Range Corporation earns more than 300 million dollars in annual sales and employs more than 1,000 local Greenwood, Mississippi residents. Being a lifelong Greenwood citizen, Carl Jr. just couldn't grow his business anywhere else. With a 87,000 square foot manufacturing plant and several distribution centers located in the Greenwood area, Carl Jr. has not only created one of the largest privately held businesses in the South, but also brought revenue to this depressed small town. Home to cotton, catfish, and the blues, the Mississippi delta region is one of the most impoverished in the nation, which is all the more reason to praise Carl Jr. for his commitment and dedication to his hometown.
Carl Jr., in fact, has reinvigorated a dilapidated downtown, known as historic Cotton Row, and converted many abandoned buildings into Viking destinations. A Viking Mecca, so to speak, with 23 restored buildings and still counting. The Viking headquarters takes up two blocks of downtown and is located near Viking's Alluvain Hotel and Spa, a luxury hotel and 7,000 square foot spa that entertains not only Viking dealers and sales representatives, but also customers and would-be customers who want to tour the Viking plant or take a cooking class at the nearby Viking Cooking School. But even if you don't make the pilgrimage to Greenwood, you can still test out your cooking skills on a Viking range at any of the 16 Viking Cooking Schools scattered across the country. These state-of-the-art demo and lecture-style Viking classrooms draw more than 70,000 students annually and offer classes from regional cuisine to formal cooking and grilling techniques.
Over the years, Carl Jr. has added high-performance appliances to the Viking line up. From the first Viking outdoor grill in 1997 to a full outdoor kitchen line up in 2004, Carl Jr. has developed appliances for the Viking indoor and outdoor kitchen that exceed expectations. The newest line is the Designer Series, a full line of appliances that appeals to the homeowner looking for a more contemporary, streamlined design that can be integrated into existing cabinetry. It's a more modern look with a more competitive price point.
Viking manufactures virtually every appliance for the home including ranges, ovens, cook tops, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers. Countertop appliances such as toasters and blenders and cutlery also bear the Viking brand name. All products are manufactured in the United States and sold worldwide. And if you think that Viking only produces stainless steel appliances, think again. Hot new colors from cobalt blue to racing red define a cooking space and visually entertain the eye, creating the perfect blend of high-performance output with trend-setting style.
Even with the economic downturn, Viking Range Corporation has a bright future with its powerhouse appliances offering trend-focused styling and durable construction. Carl Jr. has created a lifestyle brand synonymous with a luxury lifestyle that many strive to live.
